The Red Rose of Anjou - Plaidy Jean. Страница 51

He called one of his trusted messengers to him and gave him a letter.

‘Ride with all speed,’ he said. ‘It is imperative that the King reads this before another day has passed.’

York was confident that Henry would be only too delighted to call off any confrontation.

The messenger rode off and very shortly came to the royal camp.

He immediately disclosed the fact that he came on an urgent message from the Duke of York and he had a letter which he wished to deliver into the King’s hands.

He was immediately conducted to the royal tent. The King was sleeping but a man who was clearly a very noble lord came to ask his business.

‘I come with an important letter for the King from my master the Duke of York. It is to be delivered into the King’s hands.’

‘Give me the letter and I will make sure that it is given to the King as soon as he awakes.’

‘Thank you, my lord.’

‘And I will give orders that you are given safe conduct back to Ware.’

The messenger was grateful and retired, his duty as he thought accomplished.

He did not know that the man who had intercepted the letter was Somerset himself

A stroke of luck, thought the Duke. Who knew what the King would do on receipt of a letter like this? But perhaps one did know. He would say, ‘Welcome, my dear cousin of York. Let us forget our grievances...’ and before long York would have a place on the Council.

‘Never, while I have a say in matters!’ murmured Somerset.

He broke the seals and read the letter. So York had no quarrel with the King! He was a loyal subject! He did not want to usurp the throne. He wanted to serve under the King. But there was a note of warning however. A happy state of peace could only be achieved if certain people were delivered up for judgment.

‘Indeed I see your game, master York. You will be a good subject if the King will hand me over to you and your friends. And what for, eh? No, thank you. My head is too useful to me for me to wish to be parted from it.’

He held York’s letter in the flame of a flare.

The King should never know it had been sent.

###

So the King had ignored his letter. Very well, there was nothing more to be done but try to settle this matter by force of arms.

News came that the King had set out with an army and had halted at Watford.

‘We will try once more,’ said York. ‘If we fight we have started a war. It is worth another effort. But Henry must understand that Somerset must be delivered up to face the judgment of his peers.’

‘Deliver up those whom we accuse, my lord,’ wrote York.

‘When you have done this you will be served as our most rightful King. We cannot give way now until we have them. We shall fight and either get them or die in the attempt.’

Somerset was with the King when he received the letter for he had been unable to intercept it this time. The King grew pale.

‘What do they mean, Edmund’ They want you, of course. What can we say to them?’

‘My lord will not be dictated to by rebel subjects.’

‘I must not be. I think I had better see York. It would be easier to talk.’

‘My lord, it would be useless. Let me draft a reply for you. I will say that you resent York’s overbearing tones and perhaps that will bring him to his senses.’

‘Yes, we must bring him to his senses. Do that, Edmund.’

Edmund’s reply to York was not quite what the King had intended.

‘I shall know what traitors dare be so bold as to array my people in my own land. I shall destroy them...every mother’s son, for they are traitors to me and to England. Rather than give up any lord that is here with me, I shall this day myself live or die.’

When York read this he was astounded. It was so unlike the King who had always shuddered at the thought ol bloodshed and had once made his servants remove the decaying quarters of a traitor which were being displayed in the city of London. He was telling them that they were traitors and what their fate would be if they fell into his hands.

He showed the reply to Warwick.

‘There is only one course open to us,’ said Warwick. ‘We must fight.’

‘Then let us give our thoughts to the battle since the King has decided it must be. First we will show the King’s letter to every captain. He will fight the better for it since he will know what his fate will be if he is captured.’

The letter was duly shown and the whole army knew what fate would await them if they did not achieve victory. There was not a man among them who was not prepared to fight for he was not only fighting for a cause but for his own life.

York surveyed his army philosophically. It was five thousand strong, larger than that of the King, but the King had trained men among his. Victory would not come easily.

News came that the royalist army was making for the town of St. Albans so the Yorkists must get there with all speed.

Whoever was first would be able to choose the position and position was all important.

York had divided his army into three sections—one led by himself, one by Salisbury and the other by Warwick. Warwick was in the centre with Captain Robert Ogle and six hundred men.

About the town was a ditch and this was surmounted by a fence of stakes. The Lancastrians, having arrived first, had immediately taken up the best position behind these palisades and it was clear they had the advantage. Salisbury and York rushed into the attack but despite continued assaults they could not break through the fences.

The hopes of the Lancastrians were high. They were trained men of the King’s army and York’s followers were merely men with more desire to right what they considered wrongs than skill in military matters.

Seeing that his allies were in difficulties Warwick came forward to their defence but in doing so he perceived that there was one section of the palisades which was not defended. His task had been to wait and come to the aid of either York or Salisbury but he decided to ignore that. He saw an opportunity and he seized it.

He gave the order for his men to make for the undefended palisade while his archers protected them with a stream of arrows. Sir Robert Ogle led them over the ditch and the palisades and then on into the town while cries of ‘A Warwick! A Warwick!’ filled the air.

Within a short time Warwick’s standard, planted over the town, struck terror into the Lancastrians. York saw it and exulted.

He shouted to his men. They were going to join the brave Warwick.

Now Warwick could attack the Lancastrians from the rear and by this time York and Salisbury were attacking in front. Through Warwick’s prompt action the Lancastrians had lost their advantage and were sandwiched disastrously between the enemy forces.

In the streets of the city the fighting was fierce. Through Shropshire and Cock Lanes to St. Peter’s and Holwell Street the battle cries rang out.

‘Attack the lords,’ shouted Warwick. ‘Spare the commoners.’

Perhaps the warning was not necessary. It was the lords who could not elude their pursuers so encumbered were they by their armour. The foot soldiers and archers in their leather jerkins were far more mobile.

Warwick paused by the Castle Inn in St. Peter’s Street and stared at the figure there on the ground.

‘By God,’ he cried. ‘I believe it is.’

The battle was well-nigh done. A resounding victory for York. And there dead beneath the sign of the Castle Inn lay Somerset...

The matter is resolved, thought Warwick.

###

Henry was most distressed. He hated bloodshed. It was tragic that these matters could not be solved in a peaceful manner.

He knew that Somerset hated York. York had shown himself so clearly to be his enemy. York was determined to end Somerset’s rule and Somerset was determined to do the same for York. Henry was very fond of Somerset and so was Margaret. He quite liked York, too. Oh dear, why would they not resolve their differences in peace?